If you are stuck at a particular point in your research, I think you all should consider having a researcher take a look at the records local to the area you are stuck in. Point in case: I recently asked a researcher to take a look at Cattaraugus County records for me, to help determine what might have happened to my Esther Whiting, born 1811 Maine. She had married John Worden, probably ca 1829, probably in Allegany or Chautauqua County, NY, as she first appears in the 1830 census in Hanover, Chautauqua County with John Worden; the 1840 census finds the family in Poland, Chautauqua County, NY; the 1850 census finds the family with all children known to me, residing in Yorkshire, Cattaraugus County, NY. The 1855 census finds those children residing in relatives' houses, with no sign of John Worden and his wife Esther (Whiting) Worden. There is no sign of John and Esther Worden in any census that I can find past 1850. A few months ago, I found one John C. Worden's death record in 1872 - Orangeville, Barry County, Michigan. Unfortunately, the 1860 and 1870 census gave his wife's name as Harriet, quite a bit younger than my Esther (Whiting) Worden. The death record indicates that this John C. Worden was born 1808 Chautauqua County, NY, which matches the information given in the 1850 Cattaraugus census (42 year of age, born NY). I feel that this John C. Worden is most probably my John Worden, although I am currently unable to prove it. One of his daughters, Alsophina Worden, married John H. Peck, probably ca 1858 in Cattaraugus County. Alsophina and John Peck resided in Machias. John Peck marched out of Machias during the Civil War. After the War, Alsophina and John Peck removed from Machias to Wayland, Allegan County, MI. In 1872, Alsophina (Worden) Peck divorced John Peck, leaving John and their son, Harvey Peck in Wayland, bringing their daughter to Iowa. Coincidentally, 1872 was the year John C. Worden died in next door Barry County. I feel that it is significant that Alsophina divorced her husband and moved to Iowa the same year John Worden passed away. Perhaps the strain of her father's death was too much for her probably already-strained marriage. This past Friday night, I was contacted by the researcher that I had earlier e-mailed, saying she had found a Surrogate record for Esther (Whiting) Worden's brother, James Whiting Jr. who died in Yorkshire, 1891. In that record, James named his sister, Esther NUZUM, who was residing somewhere in Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1885, the year the document was written. Looking at the 1880 census online at familysearch.com, I see that Esther remarried to one Richard B. Nuzum. Looking a bit further on familysearch.com, it appears as if Richard B. Nuzum was first married to Phoebe Springer, and secondly to Esther CLARKE. Looking at the year of Esther Nuzum's birth, location of birth, and location of her parents' births, I feel certain this is my Esther Whiting Worden. She may have married a Clark(e) as a second husband, while Richard Nuzum may have been her third husband. In my opinion, I would have *never* found the whereabouts of my Esther Whiting Worden (Clarke?) Nuzum had it not been for the researcher local to the Cattaraugus County area. She helped me break through a brick wall that I have been stuck on for about a decade. After having said all of this, please look at the names below to see if you recognize any -- some of the names I do have information on and will be happy to share my information with you -- other names I have not been able to determine exactly how they fit into my family (grand nephews and nieces) - James Whiting Jr, Cattaraugus County, NY - relatives as of 1885: Alvina Whiting, a sister - married Benjamin Packard - resided Yorkshire Nathan Whiting, a brother - residence currently unknown Lucy Whiting, a sister - married Isreal Peavey - resided Sardinia, Erie Co, NY 1885 Hannah Whiting, a sister - married George W. Smith (resided Yorkshire) - resided Augusta, Michigan 1885 William Whiting - wife Bety - (resided Yorkshire) - in Greenville, Michigan 1885 Esther Nuzum, a sister - first married John Worden (resided Yorkshire) - second Richard B. Nuzum - perhaps also a Clark - resides in West Virginia in 1885. Nephews / Nieces Isaac H. Beach, in Yorkshire Lorenzo Beach, in Springville, Erie Co, NY Horace Beach, in Concord, Erie Co. Salinda Williams, Salamanca, Cattaraugus Co Alvira Ludsby in Salamanca Grand Nephews and Nieces: Rosalia Beach - married Albert Straight b abt 1850 NY - 1880 in Dunkirk, Chautauqua County, New York Lucretia Beach - married Horace Conners - by 1885 resided Sardinia, Erie Co John Shatam or Straham in Yorkshire Elizabeth Van Horn in Yorkshire Millie Sherman in Yorkshire Adell Nichols in Yorkshire Willie Shatam or Straham in Yorkshire Emma Dowers from Machias